The present invention relates to a non-rise faucet assembly and, more particularly, to a non-rise faucet assembly having a unitary stop-lock member.
In recent years, non-rise faucet assemblies in which a disc valve member forms a valve with apertures in an insert or the shank body have become widely accepted in the plumbing industry. Among the non-rise faucets proposed and utilized are those disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,601 which issued Jan. 29, 1974, and is entitled Non-Rise Valve for Faucets or the Like and U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,951 which issued Nov. 4, 1975, for Hot and Cold Water Mixing Valve. In addition, a removable retainer clip for such faucets is disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. Re. 30,559 which issued Mar. 31, 1981, for Non-Rise Faucet Assembly wherein the clip is received in a generally transverse slot in the shank for holding the stem in position.
With faucets of the type mentioned, the stems must be accurately positioned within the shank so as to provide proper sealing of the valve. At the same time, the stem must be readily and easily removed for replacement of the O-rings or repair of other parts and for cleaning thereof. In addition, the manufacture and assembly of the faucet must be accomplished without undue difficulty or expense notwithstanding the tolerances which must be maintained.
With these criteria, it is highly desirable to be able to assemble the components with a minimum of effort without special tools. It is important, however, to have extremely secure means for retaining the stem in the chamber against the force exerted by the pressure of water in the water supply line in order to protect against possible personal injury and water damage should the stem be blown out of the shank, and it is likewise important to provide a definite stop for limiting rotation of the stem in the shank to provide distinct on and off positions. Moreover, it has remained to combine these features into a single effective and inexpensive element capable of meeting the other important criteria for non-rise faucet assemblies.